What is NENIG ?

The Northern European Nuclear Information Group

NENIG Group
The NENIG folk, taken a few years ago:(Left to right) Alistair Easton,
Chris Bunyan, Rose Young, Colin Gibson, and Willie Ross, with Hannah

1. History

The Northern European Nuclear Information Group (NENIG) was founded in 1987 after an international conference in Shetland on the threats to the North Sea and North Atlantic from the reprocessing plant and fast reactor at Dounreay, on the north coast of Scotland, and plans for a major expansion of the reprocessing plant.

The conference was attended by over 200 delegates from 10 countries and it became clear from delegates from countries bordering the North Sea and North Atlantic that they found it very difficult to get up-to-date and reliable information on developments at Dounreay and other UK nuclear issues, such as the Sellafield reprocessing plant which is responsible for the vast majority of the radioactivity discharged into the environment in northern Europe.

It was recognised the Nordic communities shared common seas with Shetland and Orkney and faced a common threat from the UK nuclear industry, and Dounreay and Sellafield in particular. NENIG was therefore established to provide a source of information for governments, environmental organisations, political parties, the fishing industry, trades unions and other interested bodies in the Nordic countries.

2. What is NENIG ?

NENIG is organised by a small group of islanders and is totally independent and non-party political. NENIG built up extensive contacts in governments, environmental organisations, political parties, fishing industry, and the media in the Nordic countries, the EC, European Parliament and international marine pollution conventions. NENIG works closely with the UK Member of Parliament for Orkney and Shetland, Mr Jim Wallace MP (who is also the Justice Minister in the Scottish Executive and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Orkney), Tavish Scott MSP for Shetland and with other MSPs and MPs of various political parties in Europe and Scandinavia, KIMO, the international environmental organisation of local authorities, and the Nuclear Free Local Authorities in the UK.

Since its formation NENIG has received financial assistance from a number of sources, including the Faroese Government, the Icelandic Government, the Faroese Fishermen's Association, Shetland Salmon Farmers' Association, Greenpeace International and Shetland Islands Council - the latter being the principal funder in recent years together with subscription income.

3. What happens now ?

Since this background briefing was written NENIG's work now concentrates on its N-BASE Information Service - the N-BASE Briefings and Database, and especially the on-line provision of our information. Our financial support now comes from Shetland Islands Council and subscribers to the Briefings together with income from specific commissions from Greenpeace International and the Nuclear Free Local Authorities, for example.

Not only the development, but the continued existence of these pages and the N-BASE Service depends on us raising more income and/or finding new sources of core funding.